The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a semiconductor element such as a light emitting diode (LED) formed of a semiconductor thin film, and also relates to an optical print head using such a semiconductor device.
A semiconductor element (i.e., an LED or the like) generates heat during operation. A temperature rise of the semiconductor element influences characteristics and reliability of the semiconductor element, and therefore it is necessary to dissipate the heat generated by the semiconductor element to the outside. For example, Patent Document No. 1 discloses a surface-emission type LED device capable of dissipating the heat generated by the LED.
In the surface-emission type LED device, the LED is formed on a sapphire substrate, and the sapphire substrate is bonded onto a diamond substrate via a bonding layer. The diamond substrate has high heat conductivity and high insulation property. The heat generated by the LED is conducted to the diamond substrate and is dissipated to the outside. Patent Document No. 1 discloses another surface-emission type LED device in which the LED is formed on the sapphire substrate, and electrodes of the LED (i.e., on an opposite side to the sapphire substrate) are bonded onto the diamond substrate via the bonding layer.
Patent Document No. 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-329896
However, there is a demand for further enhancing the heat dissipation property of the semiconductor device.